University of Abuja VC Appointment Controversy Escalates with Boycott of Council Meeting
The controversy surrounding the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor for the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) intensified on Tuesday as external members of the Governing Council boycotted a meeting called by the Council’s Chairman, Air Vice Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (retd.). The chairman had scheduled the meeting late Monday, aiming to appoint a new Vice-Chancellor by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, a decision that has been widely questioned.
A source close to the university, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the external council members were not informed about the agenda of the meeting, and Kaita was unable to present one before the gathering. The source further explained that the law governing such appointments was clear, stating that the selection process for a Vice-Chancellor requires a quorum of specific members, including two non-Senate council members and two Senate representatives who are not council members. Without this, any interview or appointment made is considered invalid.
The external members who boycotted the meeting included Prof. Raphael Akinfeleye (South West), Mrs. Chisom Dorcas Obih (South East), and Ahaji Sabo Bappayo Ahmed (North East). Their absence added fuel to the growing dissatisfaction with the current selection process.
Earlier, a group of 67 professors had submitted a formal protest letter to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, urging him to dissolve the current Governing Council and initiate a fresh selection process in line with legal and procedural guidelines. The professors alleged that over 27 internal and 60 external applications were dismissed by the chairman in favor of three candidates who were said to be aligned with his preferred choice.
The professors also criticized the way the council was constituted, claiming that the internal members were allegedly handpicked during a strike by the university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). They expressed concerns over the inclusion of individuals without the necessary expertise in higher education governance, such as a representative from the Federal Ministry of Education and a businesswoman.
Furthermore, the professors raised concerns about the qualifications of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, alleging that the advertisement for the VC position did not adhere to established criteria, such as the requirement for a minimum of ten years of professorial experience. They pointed out that the Acting VC had only two years of professorial experience and lacked significant academic achievements.
The professors called for the immediate dissolution of the current Governing Council and the establishment of a new body to oversee the selection of a new Vice-Chancellor. They warned that failure to address the issues raised would set a dangerous precedent for other universities in the country.
“We have lost all faith and confidence in the Governing Council’s ability to produce a fair and just process for selecting the best-qualified Vice-Chancellor. We urge you, Honourable Minister, to take immediate corrective action to restore integrity to this process,” the petition read.
